Chinese Orange Chicken made with crispy fried chicken covered in an authentic orange sauce. The ultimate Chinese Orange Chicken Recipe which is way better than take-out.
My kids are always begging me to take them to grab Chinese food. They are obsessed with orange chicken but I am never really sure what's in it....especially if they get it from a drive-thru. I wanted to create a version at home, made from scratch, with all-natural ingredients. It still has the same incredible flavor they love. It's definitely a win-win in our home.
It is wintertime in Arizona which means that the citrus is ripe for the picking. I am surrounded by neighbors who have a plethora of fresh oranges and lemons hanging from their trees. This is the perfect time of year to whip up orange and lemon dishes especially this Chinese Orange Chicken.
This Chinese Orange Chicken is made with boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces, dredged, and then fried until golden and crispy. The orange sauce is divine! It is a sweet orange sauce made with orange juice, vinegar, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, red chili flakes, and orange zest. It is both sweet and spicy and full of flavor.
How to make Chinese Orange Chicken at home:
- Start with boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Cut into bite-size pieces. Dredge the chicken in whisked eggs and cornstarch/flour mixture until nice and coated. Get these chicken pieces ready for the oil.
- To make your homemade orange sauce, place orange juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and red chili flakes in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat. Add cornstarch and water and cook until thickened. Stir in orange zest.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When frying foods, it is so helpful to use a thermometer. Let the oil heat up to 350 degrees. Once the oil is ready, in batches, cook chicken for about 2 minutes until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Toss fried chicken with the sweet orange sauce. Top with grated orange zest and green onions. Serve immediately.
This Orange Chicken is going to make you forget take-out. Let me know how it turns out by reaching out on instagram at @modern_honey. Have a great night, my friends!
Bruce T
Had to fly by the seat of my pants to cut this down to one serving but it is excellent! Every bit as good as the frozen kind from Trader Joe's where the price has gone through the roof. (inflation, I'm sure.) Next time, I may see if I can make the full recipe and freeze it.
Bruce T
I made this a second time using almost the full orginal recipe (I was running out of chicken breast) and it was even better. I deep fried all of the chicken then put enough for a serving in the wok with a little oil, heated it up, and added some sauce. The extra went in the refrigerator. I had planned on freezing some but it was gone the next day. I had leftover rice as well and dinner the second day was done in ten minutes.
Modern Honey
Hi Bruce! I loved that you made this for one serving and it turned out great. Such a smart idea. Thank you for giving my orange chicken recipe a shot!
alexa
Super yummy! I used thighs instead of breast and it was amazing. it tastes better than take out 🙂
Modern Honey
Hi Alexa! Great idea to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for the orange chicken. I bet it made extra tender. Thank you for trying it out!
Rinda
It’s incredibly delicious!! My friend said much better than a Chinese restaurant, and my husband said this is one of the meals he would like to eat before he dies! Thank you so so much for sharing this recipe!
Modern Honey
Wow! Those are some high compliments. I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I am happy you all loved the Chinese Orange Chicken!